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"There was a place in the Tonkin Gulf known as Yankee Station. It did not appear on any map, but it was there all right. It was the focal point of a nucleus of aircraft carriers that carried out air strikes against North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. In December 1965, the entire world knew about the operations in North Vietnam; but most of the world was unaware of those taking place in Laos and Cambodia. Harry figured that was part of a public relations campaign to make the war appear smaller than it really was. More horseshit, thought Harry, who believed in calling a spade a spade. Life, however, did not work that way in the military mind, so Harry and his squadron-mates had been ordered not to disclose these operations to anyone. Not even, they were told, should they so much as mention those countries by name; so they came to be known as Those Other Countries, and you could almost hear the capital letters when they came up in conversation. There was another carrier focal point in the southern Tonkin Gulf. It was called Dixie Station, and it was from there that close air support missions were sent out over South Vietnam; but Yankee Station was where the action was."
About the book
Come fly with Harry Ferguson from the flight deck of the USS Kitty Hawk as he launches, in an A4 Skyhawk, on a night combat mission over Vietnam. Feel the power of the catapult as your aircraft is flung into the night sky of the Tonkin Gulf. Follow Harry as he makes his way through an unusual war, hampered by restrictions which make winning that war very difficult. Visit the ports of the Far East along with Harry.
Take part in his adventures as an airline captain in far-off corners of the world -- Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. Be a passenger on Harry's flights to Jeddah from the backwaters of the world of Islam, carrying religious pilgrims who want to cleanse their souls in Mecca. Tea-brewing fires in the cabin are just one of the unusual problems he meets. Come along as he confronts the ambiguities of living and working in Saudi Arabia. Try to think like a Muslim. Enjoy an exotic lunch in the jungle near Mogadishu, hosted by the President of Somalia. Join Harry and his crew as they explore the nightlife in Ouagadougou, in the heart of Africa.
Be with Harry in Beirut as a civil war erupts.
Fly with him as he carries passengers, some wtih four legs, to strange and unusual places. Tour Patpong
Road in Bankok, Bugi Street in Singapore, and the Queen Bee nite-club in Tokyo.
Live the good life of
the Mediterranean as Harry ends his flying career with Air Malta. Discover the charm, character, and beauty of
the historic island of Malta.
Your Signal is Charley can take you to all these places, and more.
FOR A TASTE OF THESE PLACES, CLICK ON THE CHAPTER EXCERPTS BENEATH THE PHOTO ABOVE. WANT TO JOIN HARRY ON A NIGHT COMBAT MISSION FROM THE USS KITTY HAWK? CLICK ON CHAPTER ONE. OTHER EXCERPTS ARE: CHAPTER 8:OLSO, CHAPTER 38:PULLING THE CURTAIN, CHAPTER 74:BACK TO LEMOORE, CHAPTER 102:OAGADOUGOU. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ IN THE EXCERPTS, CHECK THE MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
More about the book, the author and how to order
From the author:
"There is
some history in it, as I write about the glory days of flying the old SNJ, the great Spad, which was my first fleet airplane,
and I surprised myself with how much I could remember. We are going back, at times, some fifty years, here! As you will read
in my Author’s Notes, I describe the book as autobiographical fiction, and I think that’s right. I needed to bend
and twist real life to make the story work, but as I explain, most of it is basically true, although some of the flight events
are old sea stories you might have heard before. As far as I know, they are true. The stuff related to me is as true as the
memory of an Old Timer can recall it. Part of the book deals with my A4 experiences in Vietnam, and some of that part might
be hard reading. But, as I said, I wrote it as I remembered it."
About the author:
Like Harry Ferguson, Ron Rypel was born and raised in Milwaukee. He holds, from Marquette University, a Civil Engineering degree which he never used. He joined the Navy in 1955. That led to a flying career, of which the first twelve years were as a Navy pilot. His Naval service included one year in Saigon, during which President Diem was assassinated, duty as a flight instructor at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi, and seven months on the USS Kitty Hawk in the Tonkin Gulf, where he flew 94 combat missions. He holds two Distinguished Flying Crosses and has made 439 carrier landings and "each one was an adventure." He left the Navy in 1967. As an airline pilot, he flew for nine different companies (eleven, if you count two of them twice). All but two were abroad. He worked in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. He retired from Air Malta in 1993. He and his wife, Irene, live in Milwaukee during the summer, and spend the winter months in Malta.
Like Harry Ferguson, Ron Rypel was born and raised in Milwaukee. He holds, from Marquette University, a Civil Engineering degree which he never used. He joined the Navy in 1955. That led to a flying career, of which the first twelve years were as a Navy pilot. His Naval service included one year in Saigon, during which President Diem was assassinated, duty as a flight instructor at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi, and seven months on the USS Kitty Hawk in the Tonkin Gulf, where he flew 94 combat missions. He holds two Distinguished Flying Crosses and has made 439 carrier landings and "each one was an adventure." He left the Navy in 1967. As an airline pilot, he flew for nine different companies (eleven, if you count two of them twice). All but two were abroad. He worked in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. He retired from Air Malta in 1993. He and his wife, Irene, live in Milwaukee during the summer, and spend the winter months in Malta.
Here are some recent comments from friends, squadron-mates, and others. Okay, some
might be biased. Why not see for yourself?
Never having flown for an airline, (let alone, NINE of them, as the author has!) I can only comment
that the civilian, airline pilot aspect of his protagonist, Harry Ferguson, is truly fascinating - a glimpse into a world
that few could even imagine! Identifying with flying the Navy A-4 Skyhawk, however, is another matter. As a junior officer
and squadron LSO, I flew two combat cruises in these very aircraft, ejected from two due to combat damage, and managed to
endure nearly 6 ½ years as a P.O.W., in the company of men such as Harry and, indeed, with mutual friends of his creator!
Ron Rypel knows his subject well, and he nails it, in "Charley" - highly recommended reading! Allan Carpenter,
Skyhawk pilot and former resident of the Hanoi Hilton, now of Cobbs Creek, VA April,
2009
HE CAPTURES IT ALL! January 11, 2010
It didn't take me long to realize that Ron was there, onboard the Kitty Hawk on Yankee Station in 1965-66. I know because I was there as well, as an F-4 pilot with the Ardvarks of VF 114. Once again, through the words of Ron Rypel, I was able to experience the adrenalin rush of a cat shot on a dark night, as well as the challenge of landing back aboard a pitching deck in a stormy sea after a night mission over North Vietnam. I experienced the frustration and heartbreak of fighting a "no-win" war that was micro-managed by a President and Secretary of Defense who didn't have a clue. After Vietnam, Ron continued his career with various airlines abroad. I can say that he very carefully captures that as well. "Your Signal is Charley" is a must-read for all Navy pilots, airline pilots, or armchair wannabes. Ron Rypel captures it all. Fritz Klump, Ashland VA
BILL PAISLEY, EDITOR: INSTAPINCH.COM I can't say enough about this book. Every chapter is a story in and of itself. If you ever wanted to experience what it is like strapping on a navy attack jet and grab some of that high pressure steam to catapult off the pointy end of an aircraft carrier, Ryp has the book for you. Add in his adventures as an airline captain in a start-up company and flying to many of world's most interesting and unique locales (ever been to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso? You'll want to go!) and you have a page turner. I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy and it is indeed a great read. If you have any aviation aficionados in your family, this is the ideal gift.
REVIEW, WINGS OF GOLDAssociation of Naval AviationYour Signal is Charley by Ron Rypel.Former Naval Aviator Rypel begins his autobiographical novel with a night combat mission from Kitty Hawk in the Tonkin Gulf where Harry Ferguson, lead character in the book, tries to follow the rules of engagement despite their severe restrictions. The no-win policy, which promotes survival rather than victory, leads to a life-changing decision. He leaves the Navy and ventures into a multi-faceted commercial flying career, mostly with foreign airlines. He becomes a worldwide traveler as an airline pilot and experiences a variety of adventures in places ranging from Australia to Saudi Arabia. Along the way he meets his wife-to-be on a flight from Brussels to Rio de Janiero. Anecdotes abound in this story. More information is available at yoursignalischarley.com and amazon.com. The book is also available via trentsprints.com and a signed copy can be bought from the author at ronrypel@sbcglobal.net.A BOOK I CAN'T PUT DOWN!My recent travels in this excellent book with my old friend "Harry" brought back many memories of my years as a navy carrier pilot. Rypel recounts as well some lively insights into commercial aviation that even the Old Salts won't recognize. His remarkable life experience stories, told with humor and candor, cover some of the best and the worst of our lives. I rarely read a book that I can't put down - but this was one of them. Let's have another one Ryp!
Jack Holland, CDR, USN (ret)"YOUR SIGNAL IS CHARLEY" IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ! Ernie Connor cdrec@roadrunner.com October 2009WHAT A GREAT READ TO GET THE JUICES OF TIME SURGING WITH OLD MEMORIES! I felt I could identify with so many places and experiences. "Charley" was a great opportunity to re-live the most exciting times of my life. I ended up reading a parts of it again to my wife and reviewing some similar experiences of my own. So I lived with "Charley" for a long time. Ron, thanks for taking the time to put it into words. You painted the pictures with remarkable precision. Incidentally, I'm an exception to one passage in the book in that I never had any aspirations of making a carrier landing. I was spoiled early in my career with SAC's 12 thousand foot runways. Again, thanks for sharing your stories. I don't think I'll ever tire of hearing stories like yours. Billy Towles bnptowles@q.com Oct 2009A MUST-READ!!"YOUR SIGNAL IS CHARLEY" is a must-read for all aviators, military and civilian alike...totally unique and yet so easy to relate to. Dick Bracken, Valley Cottage NY. Retired American Airlines Captain and the world's second-best Spad Driver.LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT BOOK!As an Avionics Technician, I was your squadron-mate long ago. I think Your Signal is Charley is an outstanding book, and I will recommmed it to everyone I know. You really captured the feeling of flying, both in the Navy, and in the airlines. Later, I will give you an in-depth review, as I want to re-read parts of it. I'm looking forward to your next book. Dale Hicks."CHARLEY" MAKES YOU WANT TO RE-ENLIST!If you were a Navy pilot, an airline pilot, or just always wanted to be, this book is a MUST READ. The tales (and tails) just fly by (no pun intended) and if you have the time, you'll read it right through. The book has a very unique style and is quite fast paced. It takes you 'round and 'round the world and doesn't leave out one single sea story. I have highly recommended it to all my old Navy buddies and so far have not had one disclaimer. "Your Signal is Charley" makes you want to go right down and sign up to do it all over again! Ron Rypel is a master spinner of aviation lore. CAPT John "Brody" Conklin USNR and American Airlines, Ret.GREAT PORTRAYAL OF CARRIER LIFEDear Ron, I received your book as a gift from my long-time friend and Navy contemporary Dick Loudon who I understood to be a former squadron-mate of yours. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, purchased and forwarded copies to two family members and lent my copy to several others including an employee of my daughter’s, who was to move to Saudi Arabia with her contractor husband, to give her background as to what she might expect in living there. I told my friends and family that I thought the book did a great job of realistically portraying my times as a “JO” on carrier.Warmest regards, Al Fancher, Former F-9, F-8, F-4 & F-14 driver. Virginia Beach, VirginiaBEST BOOK I HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME!Just finished your book and it is the best book I have read in a long time. I flew for Eastern Airlines for 25 years and I am sure I must have known that first captain that Harry flew with. I hope you are going to write another book. Thanks for this one.E.V. Roosevelt evroosevelt@hughes.net
IT WAS OVER TOO SOON!Received the book yesterday. The only problem I experienced with it was that it was over too soon. Finished it this morning. Thoroughly enjoyed it - now I will read it again in a more leisurely manner. Thanks for the memories!! Fair winds & following seas, Jim Galinsky jmgalinsky@earthlink.net"YOUR SIGNAL IS CHARLEY" IS A HELLUVA BOOK!"Moved me enough to write a review! If one was, or knows a Naval Aviator and/or ("Tramp", "Non-Scheduled", "Supplemental" airline crew member), Thia s is a MUST read book. However, anyone can enjoy and learn from this book. Ron has not only written a great book, but in doing so, he has described people, incidents, and activities so clearly that the reader understands everything. It is very interesting and hard not to just read one more chapter. (The chapters are short). He writes about two lives. One as a Naval pilot in 'Nam, and also as a pilot of foreign airlines. I lived a life similar to that depicted in the book. It's true to life and one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. Ron, Thanks for the memories! Bill King, Colville, WA wking@gotsky.com February 2009IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT DOWN!Ron, I've become another fan of your writing. "Charley" was impossible to put down. It is the most accurate portrayal of the various types of flying that I have ever read.
I was A Navy Air crewman (Gunner, Aerial Photographer)at the end of WWll and later a Marine Corps pilot who spent a lot of time on carriers. I was an Eastern Airlines Pilot for thirty years. Your book is right on the money and I've recommended it to many of my friends. Thanks for a great book! Bob Virga RFLETCHER@AOL.COMREADING YOUR BOOK KEPT MY WIFE AWAKE!I just finished reading your book, Ryp. Good reading and I kept Shirley awake at times with my chuckling a bit now and then.Of great interest to me was your candid descriptions of the Saudi/Arab behavior and culture. It is so timely also with todays events and helps explain some of the irrationality we see and read about. I have heard some of your stories but getting it all in context was something else. I've been there, done that with your flight deck action, but what will capture the attention of anyone with some interest in history are the narrartives of the absurdity of the Vietnam war. All in all, it is a very good book. George Shattuck CDR USN (Ret)
IT'S A PAGE-TURNER!Ryp !! It's a page-turner ! Just got it, and opened it randomly to "Shattered Windshield", intending to browse a little, and am forcing myself to finally put it down at the end of "JFK", so I can write you and get to bed.You have written superbly, and I think it will be widely appealing...a monumental effort, and you should be extremely satisfied with yourself. The cover is just excellent, and I hope you sell a lot of books. Thank you for mailing it to me...I wasn't sure how I was going to get one, and finding it in the mail was a delightful surprise. Especially, signed by the Author. I feel very special about your book, Ryp, and I'm looking forward to resuming my "flight with Harry" as I recuperate next week from surgery to replace my right knee, scheduled for next Tuesday. I'm sure Jeanine is going to like it too, because you have made your story resonate at the emotional and personal level, much deeper than just the telling of it, and shining through the inescapable jargon needed in the narration of any story involving Naval Aviation, and in this case, let's also call this "Rypel Aviation".I know without doubt that my "Voyage" is going to be "Bon". AFTER READING THE ENTIRE BOOK, DICK WROTE: You should read "Your Signal is Charley" ... it's chock full of flying adventures you haven't heard before, told in a Ryp-only style, with feeling and humor, by a Navy Spad driver in the days of SIOP, an A4 driver during Viet Nam, and airline adventures around the world.....a great read for all! Your delighted shipmate, Dick Loudon CDR USN (Ret)
A HELL OF A STORY!Ron Rypel is a master story teller, and "Your Signal Is Charlie" is a hell of a story. He begins by accurately describing in detail the nature of flight operations from the deck of an aircraft carrier. He recounts , without over-dramatization, gripping tales of combat operations from the deck of the USS Kitty Hawk into the skies over North and South Vietnam. He tells of the frustration of fighting a useless war while being hamstrung by limitations imposed by militarily naïve politicians in the White House. These frustrations induced Ron, and many of us, to abandon our career in naval aviation for commercial airliner cockpits. Ron's experiences, in the guise of Harry Ferguson, flying for start-up, seat of the pants charter companies is a real mind boggler for those of us who had the security and comfort of flying for top flight airlines while being protected by union negotiated work rules. However, his flights to exotic destinations around the world were experiences that few could match. He even threw in a bit of sex to spice up his account, and his subtle sense of humor occasionally shines through. His recounting his life in Saudi Arabia while flying for their airline provides valuable insight into that alien culture in these perilous times in the Mid East. Capt. Rypel's book is obviously autobiographical in nature with liberties taken to enhance the story, but every bit of it rings true. His pride in his son, following in his footsteps, is truly heart-warming. His experiences flying the skies around the world would be fascinating reading for anyone interested in aviation. JOHN ALLEN Navy Pilot and airline Captain.
A WOMAN'S VIEW
As a woman, I did not expect to enjoy this book. I read it because my husband is a Navy pilot and I thought it would offer some insight into his profession. But I did very much enjoy it, and not only because of its vivid descriptions of what it's like to land an airplane on an aircraft carrier. This book offers much more. It's about combat flying in Vietnam, of course, as a quick glance will show. That is not pleasant, but certainly fascinating. Much of this book deals with the author's experiences, adventures really, as an airline captain flying to interesting places around the world, and about the colorful assortment of people he meets along the way. There is some heartwarming reading here, even a love story, that will appeal to most women readers, as it did to me. It's a book with a heart, and I believe any woman who likes a good book will enjoy this one. Irene H. Malta
LOUD AND CLEAR!
Ron, I apologize for taking so long to read your fantastic book. I am 85 now, and I don't read as fast as I used to. I appreciate very much including me in your great book. Your comments about my flying ability -- thank you! I laughed about comments about my low body altitude. I dealt with this by using two extra cushions -- one behind and one under. Your strong interest in flying is loud and clear to anyone reading your book. "Hey Ron, I see you up there. Your signal is Charley, and welcome home." GEORGE PARKER Captain USN (Ret)YOUR SIGNAL IS CHARLEY IS PURE MAGIC!...friend, if you're a pilot - or ever were a pilot - or dreamt of being a pilot, "Your Signal Is Charley" is sheer magic for you. You'll read it -then flip back to page One and start over. I obtained a copy (lucky me) and before I could open it, my wonderful wife grabbed it and I'm still waiting my turn. And my golf buddies - with whom I had discussed it are saying "ME NEXT".Ron Rypel has seen/done it all. A flying Gypsy...starting with every young pilots dream, U.S. Naval Aviation. It doesn't get better than earning/using those Wings of Gold (no offense, Air Force). On that latter point, I might mention that the Air Force used to carefully select their best single engine pilots and to the pilots great delight, assign them to a Carrier Air Group for a tour of duty. I too was blessed with what it took to wear those Wings of Gold - and met several Air Force transplants and they were worthy of the gold they pinned to their chests...and sad when they walked down the Carrier brow for the last time.
Then, after tours of combat duty in Viet Nam, Ron Rypel left the Navy and entered the wild world of Commercial Aviation. Wait til you read his tales of flying in the Middle East - the Far East - ferrying sheep from Australia ! What a life ! What a career. What a pilot...after finishing "Charley", you'll wish you had flown his wing or right seat...not to mention the adventures ashore. :-))
"Your Signal Is Charley" is your ticket to a couple of evenings of total enjoyment...that is, if flying interests you ???..and if you can get it away from your wife ?
Enjoy - don't miss this one !
Thomas Exley, Arroyo Grande CA LT USN (retired) meatball1@charter.net
MORE THAN A BOOK, A TIME MACHINE!
When I heard my old friend, Ron Rypel, was writing a book, I was delighted. For years, I had been encouraging him to do so, as Ryp has a special knack for telling a tale. And he has a very special tale to tell. When I read Charley, I learned that Ryp had not just written a book, but had crafted a time machine which magically carried me back to the time when I was young and daring, a time when I too flew airplanes from ships. While there is plenty of flying adventure here, there is much more. I enjoyed following Harry Ferguson as he made his way from the flight deck of the USS Kitty Hawk in the Tonkin Gulf to the left seat of airliners flying across the globe. The characters he meets and the places he visits make a long and colorful list. Ever wanted to smuggle contraband sheep out of Australia? Fly the old, convoluted approach to Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong? Here is your chance! If you have any interest at all in airplanes and adventure, I suggest you strap this one on.You will enjoy the ride. JOHN PAISLEY Cdr.USN (Ret)
BELGIAN PILOT WROTE:
I am Belgian pilot wtih 39 years of experience in the military. I read your book because I know your wife, a Belgian, and she told me that part of your story took place in Belgium (among many other places!)I finished your excellent book yesterday. It was a pleasure reading it. Your "life" story is really special and your aviation experiences are unique. I dare to call you a very lucky guy and I admit I am a bit envious.I fully support your views on Irak and terrorism. Unfortunately I live in a (small) country where pride and honor are not very well known/neither appreciated to say the least. I do feel a bit frustrated reading your book.It must be great to be a member/citizen of an important nation like the US and to serve in an important navy. As a Belgian military, we were excellent in our specific duties -- as directed by others -- but only when they agreed.Our politicians are not of great help to prove the opposite and to do what is right.As I retired one year ago, I understood very well the chapter on "hanging up the goggles." But, as you stated, after a few months of retirement, you realise that life is too beautiful and too short to go back to work in another job.So, in a nutshell, thanks for your excellent book, job well done.Best regards from a jealous Belgian pilot. Luc
ANOTHER BELGIAN WROTE:
Dear RonI started reading you're book yesterday evening and this morning at 11 hr I finished it.It deserve's a "Prize" for "Aviation experiences" and whatever, you name it ; in one word "Fantastic"!!!!! Every page after another were exiting I really couldn't stop reading. I'm going to read it again. Fik
WHAT A LIFE!Ron, your book is one of the most entertaining and informative books I have ever read. What a life you have led! You are one helluva guy and someone ought to make a movie of this book. I hope you have another book in the wings. Jim CorkeryMORE THAN A NOVEL
Sir: You do Your Signal is Charley a disservice by calling it a novel. It is much more. First, it gave me a close-up feel for the thrills of flying from an aircraft carrier. More, it taught me how to do it. After reading your book, I almost believe I could be a U.S. Navy pilot. The book also gave me a great sense of the feelings a pilot has when he flies into danger on a combat mission. I felt like I was right there in the cockpit with him. It also went a long way towards explaining what a man goes through to earn his wings of gold. I now have great respect for those who wear them. Your book also taught me geography, as it took me around the world to places I had never heard of before: interesting and exciting places like Ouarargla, N'djmena, and Ouagadougou. It took me across Europe, the Far East, and the Mid East, where your descriptions of war-torn Beirut were vivid. Your book taught me history. I was amazed to learn that America lost 19,000 men defending Europe in Belgium's Battle of the Bulge. Our victory there might well have determined the outcome of WW2. You took me to live with you in Saudi Arabia and I learned about the mind of the Muslims. You introduced me to interesting people, people I would never meet in my own world. Finally, you made me see in a new light, our country’s engagement in Iraq. I was astounded to read how the UN-run Oil-for-Food program, corrupted by France, Germany, and Russia, allowed, and even assisted, Saddam in re-arming after the first war in the Persian Gulf. You have certainly done your homework. Your book is a wonderful tour of the world and of the minds of those who live in it. I recommend this book very highly to those who are interested in flight, travel, people, and the world they live in. Thank you, sir, for the journey. Maggie Key West FLAN ENGROSSING BOOK!
I have read Your Signal is Charlie and found it to be a very engrossing book. The story is a blend of two facets of the author's remembrances. One part takes us to the flight deck of the USS Kitty Hawk in the Tonkin Gulf during the war in Vietnam. As a squadron-mate, I was there with Ron for this part. The second part leads us through his incredulous adventures as a captain in non-scheduled airlines abroad. His stories make my career at a national airline in the U.S., despite its problems, seem like heaven on earth. I highly recommend Your Signal is Charley. You will definitely not be disappointed with this book. Harry (The Rat) Welch. Navy pilot and airline captain.I ENJOYED THE HELL OUT OF IT!Mr. Rypel, I just now finished reading your book, and I enjoyed it immensly. It went slowly for me because I read when I go to bed, and the short chapters were ideal for my short reading span. I have recommended it to two Korean warriors of my acquaintance. BTW, I am the kind of reader who notices typos. Your book is faultless! Imagine, an engineer who can write!
I enjoyed the hell out of it, even though it was pretty exciting and scary for me. Congratulations for a wonderful book. BTW, you have a beautiful wife. Mike NewburgP.S.Strange thing. Last nite I was re-reading the MAGEE POEM in the beginning of the book, and I got back into the first few chapters. It has been some time since I have picked up a book and re-read it. ''Harry,'' you and Mrs.Sweetness have had one hell of a life! Very glad I could share it with you, however vicariously. Mike Newberg of Many Places.A FASCINATING BOOK!
Ron, just finished reading "Charley" and I congratulate you on writing a fine book. It's very well done. You certainly had a great career, with lots of ups and downs, some of them in very strange places. I commend you for your very fascinating book. Your love of Naval Aviation is obvious and you have made proud all of us who wear the Navy Wings of Gold. Bill Montague LT USN (Ret)
I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT!
Mr. Rypel, I finished reading your novel tonight, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My father was a former Stinger squadron mate of yours, "Wild Bill" Ellis, and he passed it on to me. You certainly did the A-4 justice. Your book answered a lot of questions I had about Vietnam. I thank you for that. I also thank you for publishing some of the stories you wrote so diligently at your typewriter below decks so many years ago, as well as the stories from your second life as an airline pilot. Sincerely,TIM ELLIS
BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIESHi Ryp. I really enjoyed your book. It brought back a lot of memories and even though the circumstances were less than ideal most of them were good. After 33 years of flying for the airlines I never felt as close to my fellow pilots as I did, and still do, to my squadron mates in VA113. Unless they've "been there done that" people just don't understand the special bond that forms between those who have hung their asses out together. JERRY GREENAMYER NAVY PILOT AND AIRLINE CAPTAINTHIS IS A GREAT BOOK!
This is a great book! That is a flat declaratory statement with no doubt whatsoever. Any parent with a son or daugher who has expressed interest in aviation or the Navy, should buy several copies. Make this book required summer reading for the youths in your life.
''Harry,'' like the classical ''Candide'' of old, has detailed his adventures. Some are frightening and some make me envy him. While Harry Ferguson cavorted in Pacific ports in the 50's, I shivered in the bone-chilling dampness of a pup tent in the Dolomite Mountains in Northern Italy. I was, of course, in the US Army. I was called a ''draftee." My activities were called ''maneuvers'' and they were No fun, No sun.
I learned from Harry! Now I want to taste the Belgian beers, drink Irish coffee, and eat schwarma. No longer do I want to visit Saudi Arabia with their Wahabi Muslim culture and their hubris. Harry had to do it, but it's not for me.
''Harry'' my lad, you entertained and educated me. I will buy several more of your books to give to my pals, especially to the pilots among them.! Sincerely. PFC Mike, US Army Ret. (circa 1950's)
YOUR SIGNAL IS CHARLEY IS A FANTASTIC BOOK!June, 2008Captain Rypel captures your attention on the first pages and does not release you until the end of the book! For ex-Carrier pilots or those who wonder what flying from a Carrier is like, Ron's book puts you in the cockpit and with his vivid descriptions of the launch and recovery procedures in good weather and foul, your heart rate will increase from the reading! His descriptions of flying for several airlines in various parts of the world, including the Middle East, are out of a movie script, however in his case the tales are true! Highly recommended, Robert Jones, Federal Way, WA USN Carrier Pilot & airline Captain.I loved your book!! Mary Johnson, Wauwatosa, WI
A TALE WELL TOLDChick Clark, CDR, USN (Ret.) Member: Association of
Naval Aviation, former Editor of Approach magazine, wrote:
Bravo Zulu, Ron, for a tale well told! Ops on Yankee Station make Gann's "The High and The Mighty" sound like Sunday afternoon in the park. The detail, told from the first person¹s point of view (with apologies to Harry), puts the reader in the cockpit and the Ready Room. It's a "You are There"experience with all the tension and the tragedy, the happiness and the hopelessness of a war and of those who flew in it. Insight into start-up airlines, charter work, unusual freight, and the sometimes crude third-world airport facilities, takes a lot of the glamour (if it exists only in the mind)out of commercial aviation. However, Harry puts a good face on adversity. The period while flying with the Saudis can only be described as suspicions confirmed.
On the personal side, the book brought back long tucked-away memories. Saigon and the Caravelle Hotel,
Hong Kong with Jimmy¹s Kitchen, the Parisian Grill, Earthquake McGoon's. Yokosuka and the Tradewinds,
and Tokyo andthe Queen Bee. Places and things, thrills and sights that demand being recalled by naval
aviators. I met Ron in Monterey in 1961 as a student in the Navy¹s General Line School and little did I
know how our lives would, after 47 years, cross once more. As a former editor of APPROACH magazine,
the Naval Aviation Safety Review, I had read many Hairy Tails and"Anymouse" contributions from the fleet,
but they pale in the shadow cast by Your Signal is Charley. Chick Clark Fancy Gap, VA CDR USN(Ret)
Would you like to read the entire book; take an extraordinary voyage? You can buy your ticket for Your Signal is Charley at Amazon.com where you can find excerpts and Reader Reviews. Click on the passage at the top of this page to go there. Check the Inside the Book feature. It has photos which are not in the book, and an index, which tells you where the book will take you. Although Borders and Target do not stock it, you can order a copy there. Get a signed copy directly from the author at ronrypel@sbcglobal.net. The books from Ron are free but the autograph costs $22. Handling is also free, but there is the usual shipping cost of $2.50 for the autograph, which includes the book ($24.50 total). Sorry, but the free books can be bought only with a check. Not sure? If you don't agree this is a great book, send it back within 30 days (45 days if you are a slow reader) and Ron will send back your check. Talk about a deal! Comments? Call the author at 414 257 0274.Living in Malta? Enjoy reading about my years on the island, including playing golf at the Royal Malta Golf Club when it looked more like the Royal Malta Cow Pasture than a golf course. It's come a long way since then. I came to Malta in 1987 on an eight month contract and I am still here during the winter! Buy the book at Expressions Bookshop, 243 Tower Road, Sliema, not far from Snoopy's Pub. Tel 2134 4236. Playing golf at the RMGC? You might play with the author, me. If you do, you will enjoy it because I am easy to beat. My telephone number in Malta is 2133 8139. There is no reason not to read this book!